Palm Sunday Service
Join us Sunday for this year's reminder of Jesus Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem and what that means for us in our daily lives. Especially with the war in Ukraine on everyone's mind, the deeper meaning of Holy Week resonates strongly with our spiritual sense for Peace and Justice mixed with the many complex human emotions we experience.
As we move together through the meaningful experience of Holy Week, we inspire ourselves to take action in whatever way we can to fulfill the commandments we cherish, so that we find true Peace and let that resonate as uninhibited as we can.
Join us this Sunday to receive you personal palm leaf to cherish for the year, break bread with your fellow Unitics at our potluck, and celebrate our volunteers without whom our community would not be able to do what we do.
Listen & Watch
Sermon Notes
Main Scripture (Mark 11:1–11)
1 When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples
2 and said to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it.
3 If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.’”
4 They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it,
5 some of the bystanders said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?”
6 They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it.
7 Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it.
8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields.
9 Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting,
“Hosanna!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
11 Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; and when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.
Supporting Scripture
“Save us, we beseech you, O Lord!
O Lord, we beseech you, give us success!” (Psalm 118:25)
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem!
Lo, your king comes to you;
triumphant and victorious is he,
humble and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Zechariah 9:9)
Hosanna
Hosanna means “save, rescue, savior” (Latin osanna, Greek ὡσαννά, hōsanná) derives from Hebrew (הושיעה־נא, הושיעה נא hôšîʿâ-nā), also related to Aramaic (ܐܘܿܫܲܥܢܵܐ ʾōshaʿnā).
Interestingly, while in Christian Scriptures, the word “hosanna” is used as a form of shout of jubilation, in the Hebrew Scriptures, it is only used to ask for help or to be saved in prayer (see Psalm 118:25).
Metaphysical Interpretations
(Revealing Word, Charles Fillmore)
Bethany—wailing, lamentation, affliction; and signifies the demonstration over these conditions. Whenever we make a mental demonstration we get a certain result in mind and body. In Bethany Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, and thus overcame the sorrow, lamentation, and affliction of Mary and Martha.
ass—In Oriental countries in Bible times kings and rulers rode the ass, and it was the accepted bearer of royalty. The animal part of the human consciousness is typified by the ass, and the purpose of Jesus' riding an ass into Jerusalem was to portray the mastery by the I AM of the animal nature and its manifestation (colt). Jerusalem is the city of peace or spiritual consciousness. The characteristics of the ass are stubbornness, persistency, and endurance. To ride these is to make them obedient to one's will.
clothes—confinement to the limitations of the physical nature of this first emanation of divine life.
palm trees—realizations in the physical of unlimited resource of strength.
Jerusalem—habitation of peace. In man it is the abiding consciousness of spiritual peace, which is the result of continuous realizations of spiritual power tempered with spiritual poise and confidence.
Hosanna—Worshipful prayer offered by the inner thoughts that are awakening spiritually, prayer for the preservation and safe growth of the Christ Spirit that is being formed and brought to birth in the soul and body of the individual. We desire every blessing and good for this true Christ ideal within us, that it may develop and take full possession to the complete putting on of the Christ, which means redemption for the whole man.
Temple—a symbol of the regenerated body of man. which when he attains it, he will never again leave.